The Ramgarh Crater
In Rajasthan, a ring of hills around a village and an ancient temple turned out to be the remains of a giant meteorite crater.
What was reported
Near the village of Ramgarh in Baran district, a near-circular ring of hills about 3 km across rises from the flat plain, with the 10th-century Bhand Deva temple and a lake at its centre. Since the 19th century, geologists had debated whether it was formed by an impact or by other geological processes.
Some saw it as a volcanic or tectonic feature; others pointed to its shape as evidence of a meteorite.
Explanations offered
In 2020, a study found shocked quartz and other features that only form under the extreme pressure of an impact, and the Earth Impact Database confirmed Ramgarh as an impact structure. It is about 10 km across in total, and was formed hundreds of millions of years ago. It has since been recognised as a geological heritage site.
- When
- Formed hundreds of millions of years ago; confirmed in 2020
- Where
- Ramgarh, Baran, Rajasthan, India
- Witnesses
- Villagers, temple keepers and geologists
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.